Peace Sign
by Raindropsonroses99
Summary: In an effort to bolster public support over a war no one truly understands, the Japanese Government has drafted most active Pro Heros to fight on the front lines. Shota Aizawa is mostly content with his position as a lookout, that is, until a rumor concerning the Number One Hero's deployment turns out to be based in fact. (testing out an idea)
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! I recently started this show, and I'm pretty much obsessed. So season 3 has been exploring more of the logistics and ethics behind hero work, which I personally find interesting. My next thought was then what effect would the appearance of quirks have on warfare? Of course, at the time of this publication, season 3 is currently airing, and I have not read the manga, so if anything I explore here is explained there, please don't tell me!**

 **This is also my first 'M' fic, so if lots of violence and language is not your thing, then you have now been warned. At this point, though, I'm just playing with the ideas around this fic. If the feedback seems to be positive, and y'all enjoy it, then I'll continue writing. Suggestions and criticism is always appreciated! On that note, I'm looking for an Alpha/Beta reader, so if that strikes your fancy, hit ya girl up! Thank you all so much for reading, and I hope you enjoy this pain train! :)**

000

Shota hated sand. Tossed about by the wind, it found its way into the shutters of his goggles, and from there, into his eyes. Blinking against the onslaught, he removed the goggled with a soft pop, grimacing in satisfaction at the rattling sound the sand made when it rolled off of the plastic.

"You should really invest in some glass for those." Shota frowned, pausing his ministrations. He had been stuck on watchtower duty for the last few months, with each week bringing a new recruit to disturb his peace. They never lasted long enough to annoy him too much, typically transferring from the mundane task to something more exciting. But this one had managed to get on Shota's nerves more than the others ever had.

"Oh yikes, that wasn't meant to sound rude!" The woman jumped to her feet, mortified, "It's just, that's like the billionth time you've done that today, which is like five billion times this week, so I just thought you might be more comfortable with, you know, some sort of protection!"

Shota's frown deepened. The woman was young – early twenties perhaps? She wore her mousy brown hair in a bun at the nape of her neck so that she could fit a helmet over it if need be. Her flushed, sunburnt cheeks were dusted with a smattering of freckles, accentuating her watery amber eyes. Just a head shorter than himself, Shota may even have found her pretty under different circumstances. Except the soldier had one fatal flaw.

"Oh! You could even get them polarized to protect from the sun like sunglasses! Gosh, I wish I'd remembered mine when I left the barracks this morning – the shower line was really long so I had to rush to make it to breakfast on time. But yeah, polarized goggles could look really cool. You'd look like what's-his-face from _The Matrix_ , ugh what was his name? Yeah Morpheus! Well, that is, if Morpheus had hair…" She was silenced by a look from Shota, "Right, talking. Sorry."

Shota let out a long suffering sigh before sliding the goggles back up the bridge of his nose. The girl was certainly a chatterbox, but he supposed he should just be grateful that she practiced basic hygiene, something he could not say for every soldier he'd been trapped in the watchtower with.

"In order for my quirk to work," He began, turning back to face the vast stretch of desert before them, "I need a clear view of the person. So I couldn't erase someone's quirk if I'm looking through thick fog, mesh, or glass."

The girl took a few tentative steps forward to join him on the railing. She appeared to be considering his words.

"Well, that's a bit of a kicker, but I guess it wouldn't be fair if you were _too_ powerful, _Eraserhead_." Shota scoffed at the mention of the hero name. The Pro Hero Eraserhead was dead.

"I mean, I have these," The soldier cupped her hands around her eyes so that Shota could see the full effect of their glow, "But that's not nearly as cool."

"Cool…" Shota repeated her absentmindedly, his own eyes trained on the horizon line.

Suddenly, something whizzed past his face, embedding itself in the wood behind him with a muted thunk. The bullet grazed his cheek just below his right eye, drawing blood. Shota gritted his teeth and pushed the beige fabric of his hood off of his head.

"Get down!" He ordered, just as another round of bullets sprayed into the outpost. He ducked just in time, peering through one of the bullet holes to get a visual on the villain. _Not villain,_ he reminded himself, _enemy soldier._

A commotion arose below the outpost as soldiers clambered into position. Where were the other pros?

 _There._ In the distance, Shota could just make out the forms of fifteen or so figures approaching the camp. Just far enough away for his quirk to work. Shota stared, allowing the tingling sensation to course through his body as his quirk activated. His dark hair rose off his shoulders. The figures faltered, as though confused. Shota sighed – it was all but over now.

"Stand back." A deep voice commanded from below, accompanied by a wave of heat. So, Todoroki was here, too. Just as the Flame Hero entered Shota's line of sight, the fire rolling off his shoulders went out with a hiss. Without missing a beat, he continued forward. Several of the approaching soldiers must have recognized the hulking man, as they turned tail and fled the moment they saw him. Nine remained.

"Eraser, now!" Todoroki bellowed. Shota blinked, and the man on the sand below became engulfed in flames. Bracing himself, he sent a wall of fire directly toward the enemy, effectively incinerating them. Several bullets shot out from the heat without Shota's erasure quirk keeping them at bay, and then they stopped.

The flames drew back, revealing nine scorched marks in the sand. _Hell flame indeed._

There was no cheering from the soldiers below, only uneasy silence. Before the war broke out, the idea of a Pro using their quirk to kill was practically unthinkable. Now, it was merely a part of the harsh reality they were subject to daily.

"Is anyone injured?" Endeavor deactivated his quirk, turning to address the bystanders. Shota let out the breath he'd been holding, turning to check on his compatriot. The woman lay slumped against the wooden railing, her stare glassy and dark. A hole gaped just above her right temple, a maroon stain blooming on the wood behind her head. Blood dripped in a thin trail from her now-still mouth. Shota blanched. _Shit._

"We need help up here!" He called down, his voice an octave higher. Footsteps thumped up the wooden stairs and two men entered the outpost, barely sparing Shota a glance as they moved to help their fallen comrade. He exited the cramped room to give them space, though he knew that the young woman was beyond help now. He'd never even bothered to learn her name.

"Thank you for your help, Eraserhead." Enji Todoroki approached the Erasure Hero with an air of professionalism.

"There's no need for formalities here, Endeavor," Shota hopped off the last stair and promptly sat down on a wooden crate in the shade of a nearby building, "This wasn't an official team up like back home… But you're welcome."

The Flame Hero's mustache twitched before he continued on his way, leaving Shota to brood in relative peace. And he waited. An empty stretcher went up the stairs, and when it came back down, it was occupied – though its cargo was covered with a sheet. The fluttering of the cloth created the illusion of breath, causing the vice surrounding Shota's heart to squeeze painfully.

 _Hero, huh?_ Shota let out a rueful scoff. He hadn't been a hero for a long time.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello friends! Due to the positive reception of Chapter 1, I've decided to continue this story! I feel that the idea of Quirk ethics remains woefully underdeveloped in both the anime and among the Fandom, so let's see where this takes us, shall we? Thank you so much for reading!**

000

The rest of the day went by in a blur of activity. Shota shuffled about the camp, having been dismissed from his duties for the day. He barely noticed the sting of alcohol when a medic stopped him to clean his cheek-wound. He'd forgotten it was there in the confusion following the incident. He didn't mind too much; the sting reminded him of his humanity in some sick, fucked-up way.

Later than evening as he lay on his bed, too tired and sore to get under the sheets, Shota began to regret. He regretted his choice to become a pro-hero. He regretted his choice to block himself off from human contact. He regretted having been born in the first place.

His cot bounced, jostling his aching body. The piercing voice that followed could only belong to one person.

"Heyyyyyy Eraserhead!" Hizashi grinned, seemingly immune to the Erasure Hero's melancholy demeanor. The blonde was dressed in the standard military-issued sleepwear, though he kept the speakers around his neck to avoid deafening the entire squad.

"I missed you at dinner! Where were you, man?" He didn't wait for Shota's reply, "You left me to fend for myself with Fourth Kind and Best Jeanist! Not the best company for conversation."

"Could've found Nemuri." Shota drawled into his pillow, too tired to address his squad-mate and best friend directly.

"Nah, she's on night patrol again." Hizashi shrugged, leaning back on Shota's bed.

"Listen, I heard about the attack this morning," He continued at Shota's lack of response, though a bit more subdued, "I'm sorry about what happened to that girl. You two were partners in the watchtower, right?"

Shota stilled. An unseen arm constricted around his ribcage, inhibiting his ability to breathe. Immediately realizing his blunder, Hizashi backtracked.

"Um, so where do you think they'll assign All Might?" He asked.

"Nowhere," Shota rolled over to face away from his friend, "That's just a rumor."

"C'mon man!" The Voice Hero pouted, "Humor me!"

"Humor yourself and let me go the fuck to sleep." Shota's voice was muffled slightly by his pillow. Hizashi sighed.

"Prickly as ever," He stretched the muscles in this shoulder blades as he rose from the cot, "Alright, well g'night!" Shota merely grunted in reply.

Minutes crept by at a snail's pace. Shota watched as the aptly-named 'Hero Squad' retired to the barracks for the night, using familiar faces to gauge the time based on what patrols they were on. Best Jeanist's typically-immaculate hair was always slightly wilted from the heat when he returned from the 10:00 patrol. Kamui Woods and Death Arms had both been assigned to the midnight patrol, and usually entered the glorified tent in silence at around 1 am.

Finally, Midnight herself returned from the 3 am patrol, granting her friend a nod of recognition as he lay awake. It was a sort of routine the two had developed – one Shota didn't mind too much since the R-Rated Hero was discreet enough not to mention the dark circles that always lined his eyes the next morning.

After another hour or so, Shota gave up on sleep for the night. Back aching in protest, he shuffled into the bathroom, where he finally had time to study his injury. He sucked in a breath as he peeled back the medical tape and surveyed the damage. To their credit, the medics had done a decent job of cleaning the gash, leaving only trace amounts of dried blood. The skin around it was pink and raw where the tape had covered it, only growing more so as it approached the gaping hole in his cheek. Shota frowned; he would probably need to get it stitched up, and even then, it was bound to scar.

Shota didn't like showering with other people, so it was in the early hours of the morning that he was able to sneak some alone time. He tilted his face into the spray, relishing the feeling of the water washing away the day's dirt and blood. His wound stung later as he toweled his face dry, though his clothing didn't seem to present an issue. The Pro's had been allowed to wear their usual hero clothing, given that many relied on their outfits to aid or refine their quirk use. Shota was glad, he just couldn't picture himself in the standard issue military uniforms that all of the other soldiers had to wear. He was, however, given a beige cowl and cape to somewhat conceal his costume against the hot desert sand. Finally, he slipped his goggles and capture weapon over his damp hair, and he could escape the Hero Squad, if only for a short time.

He doubted that any medics were awake yet – the horizon was only just beginning to pale. The cafeteria, however, was faintly lit from the inside, the personnel inside most likely setting up food for the early morning patrols. He gave a soft knock so as not to startle whoever was working. A middle-aged woman looked up from the meal she was preparing.

"Well, you're up early!" her tone was bright, her kindly smile revealing faint laugh-lines around her eyes. What she was doing in a war zone was Shota's best guess.

"I figured I'd enjoy the morning before it gets too hot." He replied amicably, approaching the counter.

"Well, I'll just give you something to start the day off right, then!" With that, she tossed him an MRE, which he had to step forward to catch.

"Thank you." Shota gave a small bow before exiting the building.

He could hear faint sounds as the camp began to stir. Lights flickered to life around him as soldiers woke, and somewhere a shower was turned on. The watchtower in the distance grew larger as Shota approached. He used his capture weapon to hoist himself onto the roof of the building, giving two raps on the tin surface to alert the guard inside to his presence.

Once he heard two soft knocks in return, Shota settled in. The fluorescent sunrise was probably the only thing he enjoyed about the desert, and his position on the rooftop gave him an unobstructed view of the show.

The wrapper showed that the MRE was a cherry cobbler. Shota's stomach growled as he ripped into the meal. He took a bite and leaned back, content for the time being.

Suddenly, a shot rang out through the cool dawn air, shattering Shota's peace. He jumped, squeezing the cobbler in his fist. He whipped his head around, scanning the camp for any signs of disturbance.

"Sorry, false alarm!" An apologetic voice called from a few buildings down. Shota felt himself relax physically, though his mind still held the faint buzz of terror that accompanied such excitement. As the adrenaline coursed through his body, Shota noted the faint metallic taste at the back of his throat from the cherries in his breakfast. He remembered a time when he had enjoyed the tang, though he suspected that he'd never be able to enjoy the fruit as much as he had before his tour.

Looking down at the freshly-bitten-into MRE, Shota gasped. Blood and gore gushed from the bread in his tight grip. Some of it dripped down his hand and splattered on the metal below, and the thick scent of gunpowder filled the air. Shota shook his head to relieve that wave of nausea washing over him. When he glanced back, the filling was cherry once again. The Erasure Hero set the cobbler down beside him, hunger forgotten.

No longer in the mood for relaxation, Shota ended up wandering back to the barracks. Just as he moved open the squeaky wooded door, it swung aside, revealing a very frazzled Hizashi Yamada. He drew back, as if startled by Shota's presence, before grabbing his friends arm.

"Dude, where were you?" Hizashi panted.

"In the watchtower, why?" Shota wriggled out of the Voice Hero's grip, curiosity was piqued.

"The Commander just made an announcement," The blonde was struggling to keep his excited voice down, "The rumors were true, All Might is going to be stationed here! In our camp!"

"Listen, it's too early in the morning for this bullsh- "Shota was cut off abruptly by his friend dragging him over to the bulletin board.

"Look!" He pointed excitedly. Shota peered closer at the crisp paper in front of him. Close to the top of the list of incoming recruits read the name 'All Might', along with his assigned station. Shota sucked in a breath.

"Watchtower duty." His voice faltered as he went to re-read the assignment.

"I KNOW!" Hizashi practically jumped up and down beside him, "I mean I know we're all just soldiers here, but that guy's a legend! You're so lucky!"

"Yeah, lucky." Shota tried, and failed, to match his friend's elation. Certainly, the man's presence alone would likely bring a swift end to the war, but it would probably bring an end to Shota's already-dwindling sanity along with it. That was just what he needed, _more_ bravado in the cramped outpost.

"Well, the next week is going to be interesting." Shota shrugged and turned away from the board, somehow in a worse mood than before.


	3. Chapter 3

**First, I'd like to thank the Erasermight Discord for being AMAZING and one of the most welcoming groups I've ever encountered! I'd especially like to thank eeearnest and Jangalian for their help in editing this chapter. Y'all rock!**

000

The day of the Number One Hero's arrival was charged with anticipation. Despite the briefings the soldiers had been given concerning the man – that he was a soldier just like them and was to be treated as such – every person inhabiting the base recognized that this was a special circumstance.

Shota ambled toward the hangar where the recruits were to arrive. He huffed at his jittery comrades as they gossiped.

"So do you think he'll say the thing, or would that be too much?" Nemuri mused.

"What, 'I am here'? Probably not," Hizashi shrugged, "Not with all this bullshit about him being a 'normal soldier' and all."

"Damn, you're probably right," The R-Rated Hero sighed in disappointment, "I was really hoping he would - I bet it's even hotter in person!"

Shota rolled his eyes as his friends discussed possibilities. Every conversation seemed to spiral back to the topic of All Might's arrival, and frankly, it was getting old. Fortunately, it also meant that few people were interested in talking to Shota, for which he was grateful.

"I mean, I'm one to talk though, Shota's the one who has the best chance with him!" Nemuri gave the man in question a playful nudge with her elbow.

"You're full of shit." Shota replied in his signature deadpan.

"C'mon!" Hizashi joined in, "You and a guy like that, trapped together for hours in an enclosed space, nothing else to do…"

"We just got attacked the other day!" Shota was getting annoyed. He could feel the hair brushing his shoulders stir as his quirk threatened to activate, as it often did when he was angry or upset.

"Relaaaax! We're just messing with you." Nemuri shifted her weight so that she could lean on her friend while maintaining a decent pace.

"I'm not!" Hizashi piped up, "Shota, you need to get laid!"

"Will you both kindly _fuck off_." Shota stopped abruptly, "Look, I need to take a piss, I'll meet you there."

"We'll save you a spot." Nemuri winked through her mask.

"Yeah, don't get lost!" Hizashi smirked.

Shota flipped the Voice Hero off as he rounded a corner behind the Cafeteria. He released a stale breath, slumping against the wall. Pulling his knees to his chest, Shota allowed himself to feel for a moment.

Truth be told, he was just as nervous as everyone else – hell, he was going to be partnered with _The Number One Hero_ , and despite telling himself multiple times that it would be just like all the others, he knew that it wouldn't. It couldn't. His thoughts roamed back to the girl who'd been killed in that attack just days ago. The stitches in his cheek itched at the reminder.

"Damnit." Shota cursed under his breath, rising to his feet. The stakes were too high to get emotional now. But that was the story of his life.

He could no longer see Hizashi and Nemuri ambling down the dusty streets. The base seemed to be deserted, likely due to All Might's arrival. The hangar was bound to be a zoo by the time he got there. _Great_.

Shota stuffed his hands into his pockets and shuffled toward the looming building. Capable of housing a Boeing C-17, the hangar was the largest building on the base. The shadow it cast provided some much-needed relief from the relentless desert sun. Allowing his eyes to adjust to the sudden change in brightness, Shota's steps faltered.

Just as he had stepped into the field of shade, a woman appeared out of thin air. Her hair was an intense onyx color, highlighted with blue and purple. Heavy combat boots peeked out from under her beige cape – military perhaps? Her skin was nearly translucent in its pallor, save for her violently red lips. She seemed to be just as surprised to see him, vanishing as quickly as she apparated. Shota blinked. Had he imagined it? Or perhaps he'd just seen the ghost of some long-dead soldier?

"Damn this war." Shota muttered. Hallucinations weren't entirely uncommon in the desert heat, which, paired with residual guilt over his partner's death, made for a really shitty combination. What he had seen was most likely a guilt-induced mirage, and so he shrugged the encounter off.

Shota arrived at the hangar just in time to watch the new recruits step off the plane. This mostly consisted of wide-eyed youngsters, though he spotted a few people who looked to be about his own age.

And of course, it was hard to miss All Might's hulking form among the other soldiers. The recruits had disembarked in alphabetical order, and The Number One Hero stood silently with the other M's. It had been decided early on that, to protect the Pro Heroes' true identity, they would be recognized officially by their hero name. Remembering the judgmental side-eyes by the other E's in his group, Shota didn't envy the mans position. Though he supposed All Might of all people would be used to the attention.

As names and assignments were called out one by one, Shota studied the blonde. He wore his signature grin with pride, though his arms rested tightly against his side, rather than on his hips. His two ear-like tufts of hair stood straight up, adding to the man's already-considerable height.

His latex suit looked uncomfortable in the desert heat, Shota shuddered at the thought. Some heroes enjoyed the more streamline effect of the material, but Shota preferred the softer feel of his own cotton outfit.

Standing at attention like the others, The Symbol of Peace played the part of 'average soldier' well. Rapidly growing bored of the man's perfection, Shota's eyes began to wander. The man to All Might's right looked as though he might explode, though from nerves or excitement Shota couldn't tell. He seemed to be trying to stand as straight as possible, his chest puffing out and his face turning red from the effort. A small tendril of smoke rose from his nose, vaporizing around his messy green hair. Shota smirked at the display.

The woman to All Might's left, however, was a different story entirely. Her light blue hair fluttered as she sighed in disinterest, seemingly bored of the pomp and circumstance that went along with these events. Her shoulders drooped as though something heavy were weighing her down, and her amber eyes reflected Shota's own exhaustion. He almost pitied her. Almost.

"All Might," The man in question stood even straighter, if that was possible, "Watchtower."

Shota stepped forward to accept his charge. The crowd sucked in a collective breath as the Number One Hero moved to join him, a massive hand extended in greeting. Shota accepted, albeit stiffly. All the effort he had gone through to remain unnoticed was about to become pointless.

The ceremony seemed to drag on for hours. Shota was hyperaware not only of the large presence beside him, but of the hundreds of eyes trained on them both. Every muscle in his body tensed as his fight or flight instinct screamed at him to run.

When the proceedings finally did end, Shota managed to escape unnoticed. Letting out a sigh of relief, he tried to ignore the niggle of guilt in the back of his mind telling him that he should have stayed to help All Might settle in. The man was an adult for God's sake, and the top-ranking hero, he could take care of himself. At least, that's what Shota kept telling himself.

The Erasure Hero headed instead to the watchtower. Yes, it would be best to be on high alert, especially in the wake of the earlier attack.

Suddenly, something heavy landed only a few feet in front of him. Shota jumped back with a yell, prepared to fight if need be. But as the dust settled, he saw that it was only All Might, grinning with the confidence of a person who was used to the spotlight..

"Ah, Eraserhead, isn't it?" He gave a small bow, "Thank you for your service! I look forward to learning under your guidance!"

Shota frowned, noting how the man hadn't bothered to introduce himself.

"Of course," He said drily, "I hope you're a quick learner, don't think you'll get special treatment or anything."

"Don't worry! You can count on me!" It could have been Shota's imagination, but he could have sworn The Number One Hero's chest deflated a tiny bit.

"Good." Shota turned to leave, "You start in the morning."

Before he could walk away, he felt a large hand rest itself on his shoulder.

"Actually, I thought that we could start now!" The voice boomed behind him, "I can 'settle in' later."

Shota let out a long-suffering sigh. This was _not_ how this conversation had played out in his head.

"Fine," He said, "Come with me." As the two walked, he caught his friends giving him silent thumbs up outside the hangar. Shota rolled his eyes. _Idiots_.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi hi hi! Huge thank you to eeearnest and CaptainSin99 for looking this over for me! Y'all are literal life savers!**

000

In all his months as a lookout, Shota had come to view the outpost as a sort of safe haven. The wooden structure was one of the quietest places on base. He could think clearly and with few interruptions, escape his own consciousness for a precious few moments. He didn't have to work with other people there, save for his partners, but he could usually handle them without issue.

All of that serenity, however, went right out the window when _The Symbol of_ Fucking _Peace_ sat beside him. He'd sat down gingerly on the step down to the actual viewing port. With just a few minutes of face-time with Shota, All Might seemed to have realized that his presence was unwelcome, as he glanced around the small tower somewhat nervously, shifting in his seat.

"So!" He said in an attempt to break the awkward silence, "How long have you been out here?"

"Coming up on six months now." Shota was doing his best to keep his replies curt and to the point. All Might wasn't the first of his partners to try and be friendly, but for whatever reason, Shota felt more inclined to answer the blonde - he was probably getting soft. The man gave a deep belly laugh.

"Well at least that's not too inordinate an amount of time!" All Mights overly-jovial attitude was rapidly beginning to degrade Shota's patience.

"Yeah? Give it a month," He rose to check the back window, "you'll be just as jaded as the rest of us."

"Don't be so sure!" Shota's frown deepened, "I've been in this business for quite some time! This should be a nice change of pace, bringing about peace as a squad!"

"That's not exactly how things work out here," Shota found himself growling. He held the windowsill in a death grip, staring at the stained hole in the wall that only weeks ago marked an innocent soldiers death. Her eyes stared back at him, dead and glassy. Shota was granted the honor of watching the literal light die in his former-companions eyes for the second time.

"I can't help but feel that there must be a better way to settle this whole thing besides resorting to warfare." The large man shifted, as though sensing Shotas discomfort.

"Yeah," Shota's insides restricted within his rib cage, "Well then they shouldn't have started weaponizing quirks in the first place."

"But isn't that exactly what we do as Pro Heroes?" Shota felt something inside him snap. Maybe it was the heat, or the dead eyes burning a hole into his very soul? Reason or logic aside, Shota's quirk flared to life as he whipped around.

"That is _not_ what Pro Heroes do." He hissed between clenched teeth, stalking much closer to the taller man than was strictly necessary, "We train in capture rather than in murder. Any country that trains its citizens in quirk use to kill during peacetimes is a danger to the others and needs to be stopped!"

"What did- what did you do to me?" All Might was quaking under the force of Shota's glare. He wasn't entirely sure that his harsh words had even registered in the older man's mind, he looked so panicked.

"I erased your quirk." The shorter man stepped back to a respectable distance as his hair settled back into place, "There, I've returned it. Better?"

The Number One Hero grew silent, curling into himself as he stared out at the horizon. Shota felt bad watching the man. _Well done Shota, you managed to alienate the most famous man in Japan._

"Listen," he sighed as he moved to sit beside his outpost partner, "I shouldn't have snapped at you. But, truth be told, it scares me."

"Really?" All Might turned to face the Erasure Hero.

"Hell yeah," Shota shrugged, swallowing the remnants of his pride, "Anyone who isn't at least a little bit worried is a fool. Lack of caution is how people get killed out here."

"I see," The blonde murmured, his voice lacking its signature volume and bravado. Additionally, he was no longer smiling, making him appear slightly more like a normal person and less like a caricature.

Gone was the All Might who carried one thousand people to safety during a disaster. This man looked young, too young to shoulder the world's responsibilities. His massive shoulders drooped, suddenly seeming just as tired and worn down as Shota himself.

"Like I said," Shota stood, reaching for the eyedrops in his utility belt and tilting his head back to catch the life-giving nectar, "We don't have to be here right now. Let's go down to the Cafeteria, I'm sure dinner's about ready."

"Yes, of course," All Might followed his movements, a slight tinge coloring his cheeks, "I'd hate to burden you further." Shota paused at his self-deprecating words. As shocking as the revelation seemed, perhaps the Number One Hero was just as fucked up as the rest of them. He left the tower without another word.

Even this late in the day, the desert heat remained relentless. Sweat left uncomfortable, salty trails down Shota's neck and forehead. He glanced over his shoulder to discreetly see how All Might was faring.

Perfect as ever, Japan's Golden Boy™ seemed practically unaffected by the sweltering heat. What little skin was exposed appeared to be tastefully moist, but by no means _dripping_. Hell, even his stupid bunny-ears (as Shota had come to refer to the man's gravity-defying bangs) remained untouched. The sight only served to sour Shotas mood further.

At the cafeteria, the men were greeted by hushed chatter as the rooms occupants slowly began to notice who had just entered. The people in line on either side of them stood in uncomfortable silence, as though unsure whether to move aside or ask for All Might's autograph. He couldn't say for sure, but Shota could have sworn that the man's signature smile dropped a bit at the edges as he realised that his mere presence was creating a disruption.

Tonight's meal consisted of mac-and-cheese, string beans, and a hunk of dry chicken. It was by no means a feast, but it would satiate Shota's hunger.

He sat down at his normal spot, almost completely forgetting his unusual entourage until the large man took a seat on the bench next to him. Hizashi and Nemuri, sitting across from them, both stared wide-eyed. The Symbol of Peace cleared his throat.

"Hi there! I'm-" Just as he was extending his hand to be shaken, Hizashi leapt to his feet.

"All Might! Yes, hi, I'm Present Mic!" His grin spread ear to ear as he shook the hand before him vigorously, headphones slipping off his ears in his excitement, "But, ya know, Yamada's fine too!"

"You could at least _pretend_ to have some chill." Shota huffed an exasperated breath at his friend, quietly judging the way his headphones flopped while he bounced.

"Ah yes, the Voice Hero, correct?" All Might grinned, ignoring the dark presence beside him, "I am familiar with your work! My cat and I love your radio show!"

Shotas interest piqued at the mention of a cat, but any reaction on his part was thoroughly outshined by Hizashi's unbearably high-pitched fangirl squeal.

"Anywaaay, I'm Midnight," the woman extended a delicate hand with an alluring swish of her black hair. She fluttered her eyelashes under her mask. Shota mentally smacked himself for even suggesting dinner in the first place. He should have predicted that his overly-exuberant friends would have such strong reactions in this situation.

"Of course! I read an article just a few months ago detailing your take-down of a particularly troublesome villain in the Saitama District!" All Might gave his signature laugh, "I was quite impressed!"

"You- you were?" Nemuri squeaked, traces of a blush beginning on her cheeks. Shota watched in fascination as his notoriously lascivious friend became flustered. "I - uh, thank you, um, sir."

"Now now, none of that!" All Might rubbed he back of his head, embarrassed, "We're all just soldiers, after all."

A bald-faced lie, and everyone at the table knew it, although nobody would ever dare call him on it. Shota cast his two closest friends a death glare from across the table. He didn't particularly care what the Number One Hero thought about him or his friends, but he knew that they would be absolutely impossible to deal with later if they kept at it.

The rest of the meal was carried out in silence. Shota, ravenous, had finished his chicken in three bites, and set to work on his string beans. Hizashi had already finished most of his food by the time Shota sat down, and now sat staring at the wall across from them with a stupid grin on his face. Nemuri seemed a little too focused on her mac-n-cheese as she appeared to be calculating each bite.

This was one of the things he couldn't stand about All Might, his ability to charm even the most level headed of people. He blinded people with power and money and everyone just licked his damn boots like he was some sort of God. Shota bristled at the thought.

"I'm done." He said offhand, rising to dispose of his plate, "I think I'm going to go to bed early."

"A wonderful idea!" The wooden bench creaked in relief as All Might rose as well, "A well-rested hero is a successful hero!"

Now Shota was pissed. Just what the hell was this guy trying to prove with his whole 'number one role model' act? Just as the door closed behind them, he whirled around.

"Okay, I know we're watchtower partners, but you don't have to follow me everywhere I go!" He folded his arms across his lean chest, exasperated, "What's the deal?"

The Symbol of Peace stared at his feet, shuffling from one to the other.

"I'm sorry that I've made you uncomfortable." His voice was low, more normal somehow, "It's just that you're the only person here I know."

" _That's_ your problem!?" Shota's frown deepened, "You're the most well known man in all of Japan, you can't find _someone_ you can hang around?"

"Not really," All Might chuckled sheepishly, "You see, I'm not exactly the type of person who makes friends easily." Shota paused. Was that supposed to be some sort of invitation?

"What are you, some sort of stalker?" He said instead, raising an eyebrow, "And how did you know all that about Mic and Midnight?"

"Oh, that," The blonde wouldn't meet Shota's bored, ebony gaze, "Well, before I flew out, I figured I should do some research on the men and women who would be my squad-mates. More than what I could glean from the newspapers, anyway."

"Well, I hope you satisfied your curiosity." Shota shrugged and continued on his path toward the barracks.

"Actually," the voice behind him was hushed, somewhat conspiratory, "I got the information I needed, but the sections about you were surprisingly lacking, Erasure Hero."

There it was. Shota grimaced, wondering how the hell he was going to explain his distaste for the limelight to the literal Prince of the Media.

"By lacking, I hope you mean nonexistent," Shota deadpanned, "I'm no fan of the media - I prefer to work under the radar whenever possible."

"Ah." All Might choked the word out, "You're one of those Underground Heroes then, right?"

Shota sat back on his heels, momentarily surprised that a hero as high-profile as All Might would have heard of Underground Heros. They were few and far between as it was, a situation not helped by their generally secretive nature. Shota knew that he was a member of a dying breed what with the draw of fortune and fame seducing many to the profession.

"Guess you _have_ been doing your research." Shota said with a huff.

"You sound surprised." The large man's eyes narrowed, though his tone remained light.

"Just a little shocked that The Number One Hero has time for us lowly street crime fighters." Shota shot back, barely trying to mask his facetious tone.

"Alright listen," All Might stopped, "I get the impression that you don't really like me."

Shota raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest. Regardless of what he personally thought about the blonde, he could never say that he wasn't bold.

"That's fine, I don't need your admiration," There was a serious glint in the man's icy blue eyes, "Bit I _do_ need your respect if we're going to be partners. Can you allow me that?"

Considering his words, Shota studied the man before him. His face displayed an earnest nature and a genuine desire to please, but behind the mask, there was frustration, disappointment - sadness. Taken aback, the shorter man gave a quick nod.

"Good!" The fake smile returned with full force, "I look forward to our continued partnership, Eraser!"

With that, the older hero continued on their path toward the barracks, leaving Shota reeling. Admittedly, he should have counted on the Symbol of Peace having some sort of assertive streak, and he certainly hadn't counted on the heat rising to his cheeks in its wake.

Perhaps he had been too eager to judge the adonic hero's character.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you for your patience as I settle into my new life as a college student! Hopefully things should move more quickly in the future! Thank you for reading and reviewing!**

 **Special thanks to victory!pop for making sure that this chapter is up to snuff!**

000

After another nearly-sleepless night, Shota rose from his cot. Another day at the metaphorical grindstone. But something was off. Someone was already in the shower.

Curious as to who else hated themselves enough to be awake as early as him, Shota grabbed the necessary accoutrement and dipped into the bathroom to strip. He swiped a quick glance into the cubicalless room, not at all surprised to find the Symbol of Peace, buck ass naked and glistening with shower water. He looked over his shoulder with a mighty smile, acknowledging the Erasure Hero's presence with a hearty wave.

"Good morning, Eraserhead!" He said, way too awake for the ungodly hour.

"Okay, if we're going to make _this_ routine," Shota gestured between their naked bodies, "Then you may as well call me Aizawa."

"Alright then, Aizawa!" The large man smacked a hand against Shota's scarred shoulder - a friendly gesture - but alien nonetheless.

"Can you maybe be a bit quieter?" He grumbled, "Everyone else is still asleep, and there will be hell to pay if you wake up Endeavor; he's already in a bad mood because he was up at 2 am convinced his wife had gone into labor."

"Oh, I didn't realise they were pregnant again! I'll have to congratulate him later." Shota pursed his lips. He got the impression that Todoroki's relationship with his wife was more malevolent than that, but elected to keep his mouth shut.

Shampoo stung his eyes as Shota scrubbed himself into wakefulness. Much to his annoyance, All Might had begun whistling some ancient American classic. Shota was 90% sure the man wasn't even American, which only added to his ire.

Though every once in a while, when he was sure the older man wasn't looking, he stole a glance at shapely thighs and impossible toned glutes. For research purposes.

Breakfast was even more awkward. After some swooning from the early-morning workers, both men had been outfitted with fresh MREs.

' _Just got a fresh batch in with the new recruits!'_ The kindly woman had said with a wink, as though it were some sort of secret that the base got re-stocked with every new shipment of bodies. Nevertheless, the Symbol of Peace gave a hearty laugh and thanked her for her service. Shota muttered his thanks as well before leaving the workers to set up breakfast for those who rose at a more humane hour.

He seriously debated negating his usual morning ritual of watching the sun rise from the roof of the watchtower, after all, it wasn't like he was going to get any quiet while All Might was around. The sunrise, however, managed to keep him somewhat sane in the otherwise monotonous desert environment, so he decided that skipping was not an option.

He slung his capture weapon around one of the wooden posts, using it as leverage to hoist himself up. He managed to land on the noisy tin with little more than a soft thump and the low creak of metal protesting the extra weight. Hizashi often teased him for his almost-catlike ability to move from surface to surface without a sound.

However, if Shota was a cat, then All Might was a dog, if the way he bounded onto the roof was any indication. Shota frowned in distaste at the small dent the man's impact left in the metal.

"Uh, sorry about that," He quirked a cheeky smile, "I'll fix it later."

Shota gave a dismissive grunt, settling onto the cool tin to tear into his meal. All Might joined him several seconds later, seemingly unsure if he was interrupting something - which he was - but Shota was willing to tolerate his presence. Just so long as he stayed quiet.

"So!" Oh, it was shaping up to be a long week already, "I trust you slept well last night!"

"Yeah." Shota lied. All Might was probably the type to pry into something like that, offering up melatonin and suggesting various tea recipes.

"Ah," Despite what his tone suggested, Shota could tell the man knew he had fibbed, "Well, that's good."

Blissful silence. It seemed that the Symbol of Peace was at a loss for words, not that Shota was complaining. It gave him time to appreciate the whispers of gold that threatened to breach the harsh black line where earth met sky.

"You mentioned Endeavor earlier," All Might commented, breaking the moment, "Are the two of you close?"

"Endeavor?" Shota thought back on the leering presence the Flame Hero radiated, shuddering, "God no."

"Well, I suppose he never has been the type to make friends easily." The blonde slowly but surely dropped the false braggadocio in his voice.

"But you certainly seem to be." Shota said drily, drawing his knees to his chest. All Might pondered this, searching for the right words.

"I do try," He shrugged, the muscles in his massive shoulders rippling with the motion, "In our line of work, one is generally safest when one knows that they can rely on the help of others."

"Since when do _you_ rely on the help of others?" Shota drew his gaze to meet the other hero.

"Perhaps I should have emphasized 'try' more," The blonde gave a sheepish chuckle, "I've found it difficult to make close friendships, what with this line of work and all."

Shota found the corners of his mouth lifting in genuine good humor, "In other words, it's lonely at the top?"

The Symbol of Peace barked a laugh, "Yes, I suppose you could say that."

The thin wisps of cloud stood out stark grey against the lavenders and blues of the skyline. All at once the sun, a fat red-hot orb, emerged from behind the distant mountains. Its unique violence bathed the valley in light, creeping up and up and up. Shota closed his eyes in contentment as its golden gaze struck the outpost, filling his body with comforting heat. Eventually, he was forced to look away or risk blindness and was met with a different sort of beauty.

All Might was staring directly at him, but his eyes, dear God, his eyes! The sun's rays filled them with an inner glow, that they pierced directly into Shotas soul. The angle caught every cerulian fleck and cobalt vein, all-consuming intensity. Danger lurked within those blue depths, and it send a shiver down Shota's spine.

"What?" All Might drew back, brow furrowed in tentative confusion. Shota pulled away as well.

"Nothing," He said, leaning back on his elbows. The Symbol of Peace let out an amused breath.

"You're a very difficult man to read, Eraserhead," The corners of his lips quirked up as he spoke, "You know that?"

"Indeed," Shota shot back, "I pride myself on it."

"Yes, and why is that?" The almost-neon orbs swiveled back to his face again. The question had been posed as a joke, but All Might's unwavering gaze told a different story.

"Oh, so you're my therapist now?" He leaned his head back, using the opportunity to crack his spine, "Okay, I'll bite. In case you haven't noticed, we're in a warzone. People die here. I've learned that it's better to keep to yourself."

"Aizawa," All Might paused as if conflicted, "Have you ever lost somebody?"

Shota froze.

Chestnut hair. Light. Blood.

Against his will, Shota found his eyes drifting toward the Helipad, the edges of which could barely be seen from where it lay hidden behind the hangar.

He'd sat on that scorching rooftop for what felt like hours, waiting for them to load the helicopter. A squadron of soldiers carried her casket out, where it was then loaded for transport to a larger base, and from there, back to Japan. They'd seemed small from his position, like ants.

He thought to himself while he waited, why was he there? He'd barely known the young woman, yet obligation drew him to that rooftop. It felt almost voyeuristic, watching from afar as they brought her out, saluting as they flew her home. Wondering, not for the first time, what the point of it all was.

"Aizawa?"

"No." Shota kept his reply curt, "Not anyone important."

The Symbol of Peace nodded, as though he understood.

"I lost someone close to me once." He said, "She taught me everything I know about being a hero. And I tried, after that, to keep my distance."

The men sat in silence for a few moments longer, a calming sense of understanding flooded the rooftop.

"Listen, about yesterday," Shota shifted so that he could more easily face the blonde beside him, "I don't _hate_ you. And I certainly respect what you do."

He stared at the steel peeking through the toe of his boot, "Shit, I respect the hell out of what you do, it's just, ya know, a lot sometimes."

He could feel All Might's steel-blue gaze regarding him, curled into himself as he was.

"Thank you, Aizawa." His deep voice rumbled, "I know that I tend to come off strong, and I'd like to present as little disturbance to you over the course of my tenure here as possible."  
It was Shota's turn to glance up sharply. The smile he was met with was genuine, albeit small. He felt guilt gnaw in the pit of his stomach, raw and uncomfortable.

"No I-" He considered his words carefully, "I feel that I misjudged you. And for that I'm sorry. Look, I know I'm not the warmest person ever" - this earned a laugh and a smile - "But if you ever need help while you're here, I can try by best to oblige."

After a moment, All Might extended a large hand in a gesture of peace. Shota took it, still somewhat in shock over his own confession.

"I will be sure to keep that in mind, thank you." The blonde said, voice full of sincerity, "I _am_ trying my best here." Shota chuckled.

"That you are," He laid back against the roof to watch the pastel sky overhead, "That you are."


	6. Chapter 6

Listen... college is a busy time... And posting schedules are difficult to keep to... and sometimes that means you're like three months late...  
Thanks to eeearnest and bobhasrainbowveins for editing! Y'all are both angels! 3

000

" _Get down!"_

Shota dove onto the dusty ground, grunting as the air was knocked out of his lungs from the impact. While he enjoyed working in the field, practicing drills was another matter entirely.

Today's activity was meant to provide real-world application, or as close to it as possible. All around the mock-battlefield, buildings lay in various states of ruin, soldiers ran to avoid getting marked by enemy paintball guns, and officers cried out in pain as their fake injuries oozed 'blood'. Honestly, it was more depressing than anything else.

Just beside him, a wall stood propped up against its twin, creating a small shelter. Shota crawled through the dirt to avoid being seen by the 'enemy', desperate for a moment to regroup amidst the chaos. Unfortunately, it seemed someone else had the same idea.

"Seriously, you stalking me or something?" Shota breathed hard as he came to rest beside All Might.

"What can I say?" The blonde's breathing was equally as ragged, "You've just got such a _sunny_ personality!"

Shota smirked. He wouldn't say that he and All Might had become _friends_ in the past week - it was more like they had reached a mutual understanding. For example, early morning conversation was tolerable just so long as silence was maintained at all other times. Hell, Shota had noticed the guy sitting with some of the recruits he'd been shipped in with, so it wasn't like he was completely alone on the base.

"I gotta say," Shota leaned his head back on the crumbling stone wall, "Running drills just for the hell of it kinda takes some of the fun out of the whole 'saving the world' thing."

"I can't exactly say that I ever enjoy being shot at," All Might gave a weak laugh, "Much less by the good guys."

As though emphasizing his words, a paintball splattered on the concrete inches away from Shota's face, leaving flecks of pink sprayed across his cheek. He wiped it away with the back of his hand, succeeding only in smearing the substance further into his skin.

"Ya know," he said, regarding the paint with disgust, "I could go for a good beer right about now." All Might smirked in agreement.

"I prefer whisky myself," he offered, earning an incredulous look from Shota, "Hey, I drink! Becoming The Symbol of Peace didn't turn me into a prude."

"I'll believe it when I see it." Shota replied, tilting his head back to apply some much-needed eyedrops.

"Deal." All Might grinned, "Let's make it a competition - whoever takes out the fewest villains buys."

"You're on, old man!" Shota fired back before dashing out from the hiding spot while the gunman reloaded the paintball gun. He only had a few seconds before the next wave of fire, so he opted to maintain the 'run and duck' strategy he'd adopted.

His quirk, while powerful, had its limits. He was all but useless in this particular situation, given that the gun itself had no relation to its users quirk. Shota was a long range fighter with a quirk best equipped for sneak attacks. Get in, get out. Avoid violent confrontation.

But this was war, and his old strategy was no longer realistic to use in battle. So he ran and hid until he could get in close enough to incapacitate the enemy whenever possible. There was a reason why he'd been assigned to the watchtower indefinitely.

As Shota ducked behind a fallen pylon, he was immediately struck by a scent so acrid, he could feel it burn the roof of his mouth. A man crouched low behind the structure, smoke curling around his ears. His dark green hair peeked out from underneath his helmet as though it refused to be tamed, and his eyes never left the enemies on the embankment. Shota recognised him as the recruit who'd been standing beside All Might during the assignment ceremony.

"Hey," He whispered urgently, "What's that quirk of yours do?" The man looked up in surprise, as though shocked that he'd been acknowledged.

"Well, I," He looked down into the dust, "I can breathe fire? Sorry if the smoke is bothering you, I can find another spot-"

"Don't be ridiculous," Shota dismissed the man's concerns, "I have a plan to take these guys down, but I need your help." The man's confusion slowly turned into glee as Shota explained his theory.

That's how he ended up pressed against an overturned truck, just feet away from the 'enemy'. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the glint of green that would spur his plan into action. Everything was in order. _Take that_ Symbol of Peace _!_

At his hand signal, the man exploded from his hiding spot in a wave of fire and heat. Just as Shota had suspected, all five of the shooters turned their heads toward the commotion. This was too easy.

He sprang from behind the truck, goggles secured around his eyes and capture weapon thrashing. He was close enough to see the whites of the first shooter's eyes when, in a flash of blue and red, the enemy disappeared.

Shota's recovery was sloppy at best, landing on his ankle at a weird angle. He let out a cry of pain. When he glanced up to see who had fucked with his strategy, he was somewhat miffed to find All Might himself standing above the five enemy plants.

"So, drinks?" He smirked in triumph.

 _Oh this mother-_

000

"So then I said, 'Ma'am, no, you've got it all wrong!' But she was already calling it in." Shota couldn't help but smile as All Might laughed slightly louder than the joke called for. The place was all but empty, so it didn't matter much anyway. It was just a little dive bar - ' _The Desert Rose'_ \- but it was a nice place for soldiers to let off steam when they were lucky enough to get a night off. The owner was clearly proud of this fact, as he'd lined the walls with various pictures of fighter jets and other patriotic imagery.

Shota had chosen a secluded booth in the corner, so as not to draw too much attention, which was difficult given that the man across from him stood at roughly seven feet tall. To his credit, the blond did offer to pay despite their earlier agreement. Probably as an apology.

"I'm still pissed that they're making us re-do that training exercise." Shota lamented, taking a swig from his second beer.

"How was I supposed to know that they were specifically looking for teamwork in capturing the villains?" All Might pouted from across the table, "If they'd just _said_ that we couldn't do it alone, then of course I would have teamed up with you."

"Yeah, well most people aren't _you_." Shota set the drink down with a hollow clank, "And this isn't Japan, they're not villains."

"Well, at least they're holding it in the hangar this time, so we won't be out in the sun." The blonde shrugged, taking a sip from his glass of whisky.

"Hey, it's just a shot - take it like one." Shota smirked as the man across the table regarded his drink.

"Everything in moderation, Eraserhead." He winked, causing Shota to momentarily cease functioning.

"Say, what is your name anyway?" All Might paused, then corrected himself, "Your _real_ name, if it's not too invasive."

"It's fine," Shota waved a dismissive hand, "It's Shota. Aizawa." He'd said it thousands of times before, so why did his own name now feel foreign on his lips?

"Aizawa." All Might tested the name out. Shota's abdomen tightened at the sound - it was as though he were being addressed as an old friend. By _All Might_.

"Alright, I showed you mine, now you show me yours." Shota said in a more forced version of his usual unaffected tone.

"Oh, yes of course, it's Toshinori Yagi." Shota didn't know what he'd been expecting. The name just sounded so _normal_. Someone he might have lived down the street from, certainly not the great All Might himself.

"But, ah, don't go spreading that around," The man mumbled sheepishly, "I do appreciate what little privacy I have left."

"No, of course!" Shota exclaimed, "It never even crossed my mind."

The Symbol of Peace flashed a grateful smile, "Thank you."

Shota grinned back, bringing the glass bottle to his lips. The beer was bitter and cheap tasting, but it was cold, which was all that really mattered. When he set the glass down, he felt eyes boring into him. Across from him, All Might appeared restless, searching for words.

"What?" Shota smirked at the blonde, intrigued.

"Aizawa, I-" A glass across the bar shattered with an explosive crash. Both men stiffened, tensed in preparation to attack or defend. A young waitress blushed profusely at the mess, which had presumably fallen from her tray. Shota let his shoulders sag, trying to hide how on-edge he was. A quick glance across the table showed All Might in a similar state of unease.

The men sat in silence, save for the occasional clink of a glass hitting the oak table and the soft sweeping sounds of the waitress cleaning the broken glass.

"Damn this war," All Might said finally through gritted teeth. He finished off his drink in one, confident swallow, though it didn't escape Shota's attention how his hand wavered as he set the empty glass down.

"Do you get nightmares?" Shota couldn't stop himself from asking. He wasn't sure what he'd expected; a disgusted scoff perhaps? The ripple of muscle through his t-shirt as he shrugged? But the Symbol of Peace merely looked sad. His hunched posture, furrowed brow, and far-away eyes aged him nearly forty years.

"All the time," He murmured, jaw held tight. Shota was searching for the right words to say when their waitress appeared beside the booth.

"Sorry about the mess!" She chirped, "Is there anything I can do for you gentlemen?"

"The check, I think," Shota said, never taking his eyes off his companion.

"No problem! I'll be right back with that!" She hurried off with a swish of blonde hair. But Shota was more focused on the blonde across from him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to dredge up old memories," He said, mentally kicking himself for the insensitive comment.

"We all have demons, Aizawa," The man's lips curled slightly, though his gaze remained distant, "And things that scare us. Even me." All Might sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"That's a relief to hear, I guess," Shota sighed, sitting back against the careworn red leather of the booth, "No matter what your rank, we all have to deal with the same shit."

The waitress hurried back with their check, directing the two men to pay at the counter.

"Are you sure you won't let me pick up the tab?" All Might asked as he sidled his seven-foot frame out of the booth.

"Absolutely not," Shota huffed, "A deal's a deal." He made quick work of paying and made for the exit, a little surprised to see All Might stop to pick up a newspaper.

"Jeez, how old are you?" Shota smirked as he held the door for the older man, "Who reads newspapers anymore?"

"I like to stay up to date on world affairs," The blond shrugged, studying the front page as they walked down the dusty streets.

"A tablet or phone would be more efficient - newspapers are just a waste of paper." Shota received no response, "Well, is there anything interesting?"

"Uh, there's updates on a wildfire in America, some celebrity is involved in another scandal, and a new politician just got elected back home - Kuromusha."

"Oh yeah, he seemed like a good choice," Shota replied. It was strange being able to have such normal conversations with the Symbol of Peace himself. That title didn't really carry the same weight anymore, though. Just last month, the man had seemed untouchable, high and mighty in his status. But though he would never admit it, Shota was glad to have found a friend in Japan's Number One Hero.

Suddenly, the footsteps beside him came to an abrupt halt. Shota paused too, following All Might's gaze to see what the holdup was. Across the street sat the shell of what had formerly been a beautiful church. Pieces of the stained-glass windows clung to their frames, and pieces of rebar stuck out from the crumbling stone walls. Streaks of black could be seen scratching the cratered floor and falling walls. Damage from a bomb-blast a few months back. Shota watched as The Symbol of Peace clenched the fist holding his newspaper.

"C'mon, let's go." Shota gently rested a hand against the blonde's arm and guided him away from the wreckage.

 _Damn this war._


	7. Chapter 7

Special thanks to TvSoup and IvaliceForever for graciously offering their editing skills! Y'all are seriously amazing!

000

There was training, and then there was whatever fresh hell Shota was being put through.

Today's remedial exercise was being held a few miles offsite, the training coordinators had decided that an indoor setting would provide a fine opportunity for close-combat encounters. As such, the building had been re-designed into a multi-level compound, in which the soldiers had been placed intermittently throughout. There were only two teams, Red and Blue. Whichever team could 'kill' more than half of the other teams players first would win.

The structure was clearly built with the help of someone's quirk, as tons of stone had been used to create an uneven maze of narrow hallways and atriums. Even Shota, who prided himself for being level-headed, was somewhat freaked out by the colorless walls closing in on him. He scowled at a not-so-hidden camera on the ceiling. He felt like a frickin' lab-rat, a sensation not helped by that fact that 'big-brother' was clearly watching his every move.

He waited in anticipation for the buzzer to sound, officially signaling the start of the drill. They'd chosen the teams anonymously, so Shota was left completely in the dark when it came to colleagues he might face. He uncapped his eye drops and gave each eye a liberal squirt. He had no clue how long he'd need to use Erasure today, so it was best to prepare for the worst.

Regular soldiers were fine. Formidable adversaries, given that this time every one of them was equipped with a paintball gun, but relatively easy to take out nonetheless. It was his fellow heroes he was most concerned about.

He had no idea who he might encounter when he rounded a corner, rendering strategizing nearly impossible. Nonetheless, he frantically scrolled through the list of potential enemies in his head. _Endeavor, Best Jeanist, Gang Orca, Ingenium, 'Zashi, Nem, Edgeshot, Vlad King, Snipe, Ect-_

" _You may now begin the exercise."_ a voice announced overhead, followed by a shrill whistle. _Go time._

Pushing his worries aside, Shota flipped his goggles over his eyes. His first instinct was to move, but he stopped himself before he could even take a step. Roaming the building was most likely everyone's plan, which meant that if he stayed put, he would be more likely to run into a combatant.

And sure enough, he could hear the pounding of combat boots running in his direction. The hallway echoed horribly, so he couldn't quite pin down where the sound was coming from. _Focus._ His heart beat fervently in his ears while he tried to hone in on the rhythmic steps. As they grew closer, it became easier to tell where the enemy was. _Left_.

He turned just in time to see a soldier round the corner. He took aim, allowing Shota to catch a glimpse of the red X across his chest. He dodged the first round of fire, opting instead to slide in close. Before the soldier even registered what had happened, carbon-fiber tendrils wrapped around him, pinning his upper-arms to his torso. The soldier yelled, waving his weapon in a fruitless effort to deter the Erasure Hero.

"Be careful with that thing," Shota intoned, approaching the soldier, "You might actually hit someone."

"Come on, man! We just started, can't you give me a second chance?" The man complained from the ground, "I'll go somewhere else and-"

"Sorry, there are no second chances in war." Shota shrugged. He reached out and pressed the button on the man's chest, turning it white to mark the soldier as 'out'. The man groaned his frustration.

"Next time, assess your opponent before you just go shooting all over the place." Shota advised as he freed the soldier. The man grumbled and stalked off in the direction he'd come.

After a few minutes with no further encounters, Shota decided to move further down the hallway. He toed silently across the floor, senses on high-alert. He rounded a corner and ran straight into a broad chest. He leapt back into a defensive stance, only to relax when he noted the blue X across the man's chest.

"Eraserhead!" Vlad King breathed, realising he'd ran into an ally as well.

"Any idea who's on what team?" Shota cut straight to the point.

"I haven't run into any other Pros yet, if that's what you're getting at." Vlad's voice was a hushed version of his usual gruff timbre.

"Well, let's stick together for the time being," Shota followed Vlad's cue and kept his voice low, "Our combined quirks may prove useful."

The men shuffled through the twists and turns of the second floor, constantly tensed for battle. But every hallway appeared to be empty.

"Where the hell is everyone?" Shota whispered urgently. This had the signs of a sneak attack written all over it. Suddenly, a scream pierced the still air, causing Shota's steps to falter. If he wasn't freaked-the-fuck out before, he sure as hell was now. He moved toward the direction of the sound, but was stopped by a heavy hand on his shoulder.

"Eraser, do you smell that?" Vlad whispered. Shota paused and inhaled, heart sinking when he too recognised the faint floral aroma wafting down the passageway. Nemuri had set a trap, and he almost ran right into it.

"Midnight." The Blood Hero confirmed Shota's thoughts, "Any idea who's side she's on?"

"Not a clue," The ravenette replied, "So let's treat her as hostile until we have confirmation otherwise. I'll nullify, you attack." Vlad nodded in response, taking a deep breath before advancing.

Shota's hair floated from his shoulders as he let his quirk take over. He stepped into the passageway first, giving his quirk time to take effect. Nemuri was facing the opposite end of the hall, so she wouldn't notice right away that her quirk wasn't working. _Perfect._

"That's right, sleep," The dominatrix cooed, crouched down beside what was presumably the sleeping form of some poor bastard she'd snared. She froze for a moment before rising to her full height.

"Hey, Sho." She turned to face her friend with a positively devilish grin, placing Shota in full view of the red X across her chest, "My eyes are up here, you know."

"Cut the shit, Nem," He said, covering his nose and mouth with his sleeve. He took a step forward, narrowly missing someone's arm, "You've been busy."

"Well you know how men love a woman in distress." Nemuri smirked, "I only took advantage of what I had at my disposal."

"How interesting," Shota lowered his sleeve as the last of the mist vaporized, "So did I."

At that moment, Vlad King launched himself from behind the corner toward the X-Rated hero. She appeared genuinely surprised, even as she was body-slammed against the wall.

"Vlad, you rogue!" She chuckled in spite of her position, "You know I like it rough."

An unreadable look crossed the Blood Hero's face. Shota rolled his eyes, moving to assist the man in wrangling the somnambulist. Just as she was rendered 'out', another red soldier appeared, presumably alerted by Nemuri's earlier cry.

"I got this," Vlad motioned for Shota to leave before flexing his shoulder blades, relishing in the thrill of battle, "Go see who else you can find."

"Got it!" Shota threw caution to the wind and ran down a new hallway. The scenery may have been monotonous, but damn if the building wasn't huge!

He began to slow his pace once he could no longer hear the sounds of fighting. Only his own footsteps tapping lightly against the smooth concrete.

Suddenly, Shota felt his stomach drop. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, causing him to shiver. Without warning, he stopped walking, not at all surprised to hear a second pair of feet shuffle to a halt several yards away. He was being followed.

Whipping his head around, he just barely had time to register the foot arcing straight for his head. He leaned back to avoid being hit, only to have his legs swept out from under him. He fell onto his back with a thud, grunting as the air was knocked from his chest. He was surrounded by three leering copies of Ectoplasm.

Shota rolled back, using his arms to propel himself feet first into the closest one's chest, causing it to disappear with a puff of bluish mist. Activating his quirk, he turned his attention to the other two running at him. He aimed a left hook but the clone blocked it easily, earning Shota a knee to the stomach. Gritting his teeth in pain, he jumped back to regroup. The opposing ends of his capture weapon shot out, Shota used the tendrils to bind his opponents and slam them to the ground. Both figures faded into mist, which meant that the puppetmaster was likely still at large.

Adrenaline skyrocketing, Shota moved deeper into the structure. He avoided encounters where he could, saving his strength. Eventually, he stumbled upon a door - some secret passageway perhaps? _Or a setup for a sneak attack._

All of his senses were on high-alert as his fingers met the cool metal of the doorknob. He twisted it painstakingly slow, revealing what appeared to have once been a kitchen. Faded wallpaper peeled from the dingy walls, though it's color became lighter closer to the floor - likely places where appliances had once stood. The windows had been sealed off with cement, though the doors all appeared to be in working order. This must be the center of the compound.

Shota took a cautious step forward, somewhat put-off by the sudden change in aesthetics. He cringed as the floorboards creaked in protest below him. Reconsidering his strategy, he opted to walk as close to the wall as he possibly could. The floorboards would be stronger there and make less noise. As he moved through the house, it became more apparent what had happened. The building must have already been here, and the maze was simply built around it. Perhaps there were more houses caught up in the massive structure?

Just as he reached the main stairwell, a wooden groan sounded from the dark shell of the dining room. Shota froze in place next to the stairwell, ears pricked for signs of intruders. The sound was decidedly the house settling, but he couldn't seem to make the hairs on his arms lay flat. He peered into the darkness, reddened eyes widening as he recognised a flash of electric blue.

Within milliseconds, Shota had used his capture weapon to launch himself over the banister, narrowly avoiding a 'Texas Smash' to the face.

"You know, I really miss the days when you would just announce your attacks." Shota called from his perch on the landing. All Might smirked below him.

"While I can appreciate the nostalgia," The man craned his neck toward the second floor, revealing the red 'X' slashed across his chest, "I'm sure you don't need a reminder from me that this is war."

Shota shivered under his subordinate's piercing gaze. His slightly sadistic side was coming out to play.

"Bring it on, old man!" He leered, launching himself from the railing. His capture weapon whipped around his face as he activated his quirk. He noticed All Might falter ever so slightly, but he was still focussed enough to duck the Erasure Hero's spinning sweep kick. He countered with a punch, but Shota was able to leap back, using his capture weapon to grab ahold of All Mights fist. He pulled, aiming to throw the Symbol of Peace off balance, but the man was undeniably strong, even without the aid of his quirk.

With one mighty tug, Shota was sent flying right into the Number One Hero, taking a fist to the chest. He responded in kind with a swift knee to the blond's abdomen, knocking the wind out of him with a hiss of pain.

Despite the aching in his sternum and the burning sensation in his overworked eyes, Shota decided to use the situation to his advantage. He used his capture weapon to hoist himself onto the blond's shoulders, wrapping his legs across the man's throat. He'd learned back in his days at UA that his legs were naturally stronger than his arms, so he'd trained accordingly. The Triangle Choke was now one of his strongest moves against a larger opponent.

But, true to his title, the Number One Hero continued to fight. He slammed his back against the wall in an effort to forcibly dislodge the smaller hero. Shota had never been bullriding before, but he imagined it went something like this. After struggling for some time, he eventually resorted to using his body weight against Shota, falling back seven feet to the ground and onto the Erasure Hero. Shota took a sharp inhale as the blond's skull made painful contact with his groin, letting go on instinct. In the end that was all it took. In a matter of seconds, All Might was back on his feet, looming over Shota.

"You fought well, Eraserhead." He said, pressing the button at the base of Shota's ribcage. The action sent a wave of relief through Shota's body. No more allies-turned-enemies to be worried about.

To All Might's credit, he offered a hand to help the Erasure Hero to his feet, but Shota refused with a breathy chuckle.

"I'm going to need a second," His amused smile turned into a grimace as he gestured to his now-sore nethers. All Might's expression grew concerned.

"Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry, are you okay?" It was almost comical how the hero could change demeanors so quickly, from 'battle-hardened hero' one second to 'mother hen' the next.

"I'm fine, you just caught me off guard." Shota gingerly sat up, all the while wearing a shit-eating grin.

"And hey, if anything comes of it, I'll just tell the medics that it happened while I was riding All Might." The Erasure Hero snickered as the blond attempted to look scandalized, though even he couldn't help but crack a smile despite his cherry red face.

"Well, I'm out now, so I should probably figure a way out of here." Shota regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth, but it wasn't like he had any other choice, "Honestly, I'm surprised that we didn't attract any other soldiers, what with all the noise we were making."

Just as the words were voiced, the sound of footsteps came echoing down the hallways, seemingly from both ends. Though All Might was the only one of them who really had to worry, what with him still being alive and all, Shota wasn't about to just sit there and take the maelstrom of paintballs that was surely coming. There were only two ways in and out of the hallway where they were about to become trapped, except for a door about halfway down.

Without thinking, Shota grabbed ahold of All Might's hand and dragged him toward the door, flinging it open, and shoving them both inside. No sooner had the doorjamb snicked shut than he could hear gunshots firing off. Too narrow a miss for Shota's liking.

Somewhere above him All Might cleared his throat. Shota realised that they were in some type of closet - and the fit was _snug_ to say the least. He could feel himself pressed against his partner's hard chest and he-could-only-guess-what-else.

"Well isn't that chiche." He sighed, thinking that his words would be drowned out by the bullets.

"Wait, what was that?" It was Shota's turn to blush. He turned his gaze toward his partner. In the light from under the door, he could still make out the set of earnest azure eyes boring into his own.

And _damn_ this guy had beautiful eyes. It was like someone had poured the entire ocean in there, filled the ocean with diamonds, and then froze the whole thing over. And then maybe set it ablaze with blue flame… Shota wasn't sure. But they were just so fucking blue...

Soft lips covered his own. Shota's mind went blank, acting only on instinct. When his soul finally returned to his body, he discovered that he was, in fact, kissing the Symbol of Peace. In a goddamn broom closet. And he was being kissed back.

 _Fuck it._

Shota tossed aside all thoughts of professionalism out the window and grasped at the impossibly tall man's shoulders. Given that the blond had a good foot on him height-wise, Shota had to stand on the balls of his feet to reach the way he wanted to. Taking advantage of his instability, All Might grasped his thighs, hoisting him up onto the wall. And _fuck_ if that show of raw strength wasn't the hottest damn thing Shota had ever experienced.

All of the days fear and adrenaline became channeled into frantic passion. Shota tangled his fingers in the soft hair at the nape of his neck, using his newfound leverage to deepen the kiss. The taller man let out a soft groan that had Shota smirking against his lips. If he kept on like this, Shota wasn't confident that he'd be able to hold himself together. And then a loudspeaker crackled to life.

" _Blue team wins,"_ a feminine voice announced, " _All participants are to make their way to the front of the building effective immediately._ "

Shota let out a hot breath, chest heaving. Apparently, some celestial being had it out for him. All Might appeared equally wrecked, though he was coming back to himself rapidly. He set the shorter man down, the movement causing the deactivated 'kill' buttons to come away from their uniforms with a soft hiss and clatter to the floor.

Shota bent down to grab them both, avoiding contact with turquoise irises while he handed All Might his button. The blond held a gentle hand out to accept, clearing his throat sheepishly.

"Aizawa, I'm so sorry, I don't know what came over me." His face shone bright red, expression nervous like Shota hadn't been equally as into their little makeout session, "That was horribly inappropriate of me, I-"

"What was?" Shota asked, tone calm as he adjusted his belt, "We found cover, where we could strategise without being overheard. That doesn't sound unprofessional to me."

"Oh… yes of course," All Might murmured in relief. Though Shota swore he could detect a hint of sadness in his tone.

Truthfully, Shota felt as though his heart would break his ribs given how powerfully it pounded against them. He had a responsibility now to protect not only his own integrity, but All Might's as well. As exhilarating as their encounter had been, they now had to attempt to return to normalcy. Not that Shota wasn't going to revisit this little incident next time he had a moment alone.

He straightened up once he'd regained control of his basic motor functions. He shook out the tension in his shoulders and applied his best nonchalant expression.

"They're probably waiting for us." He deadpanned, reaching for the doorknob.

"Yes, probably." All Might agreed, nodding to give Shota permission to open the door.

The walls outside were covered in both pink and blue paintball splatters - evidence of a violent encounter. Thankfully though, strip-lights on the floor directed them toward the exit so they didn't have to guess their way through the concrete labyrinth. They were pretty close to the exit by the time Shota was confident that his blush had calmed down enough. If anyone decided to comment, he could just blame it on the thrill of battle.

"Hey, All Might!" It was that green-haired soldier. He waved at the blond with a toothy grin, "You made it out alive?"

"I did! And you?" The man in question sauntered over to the fire-breather, hand raised in greeting. His hair was slightly mussed - the only evidence of their encounter in the broom closet.

"Yeah, but barely!" He sighed, "Mind if I follow you guys out?"

"Of course not!" All Might grinned, "Let's go!"

"Oh, hey, wait a second!" _Shit_. He must've figured out what happened in the closet. He was going to point out something incriminating. Shota squeezed his eyes shut to dispel the irrational conclusions. There was no possible way the man could know, but that didn't prevent doubts from swarming his thoughts.

Shota turned with a fiery retort prepared on his lips, more than a little surprised when the man swept past him to where All Might had stopped.

"Looks like one of your buttons didn't disengage," The shorter man announced. The tension in Shota's shoulders released in relief as he too turned to inspect the rogue button. Sure enough, the small round device was still glowing red and clinging stubbornly to the back of All Might's hero uniform.

Shota couldn't seem to suppress the twang in his abdomen as the younger man placed his hands on the blond's body. He peered at the button - a little too close than Shota deemed entirely necessary - before working it out of the fabric with deft fingers.

"It's weird," The human broccoli stalk murmured, "I don't remember them putting these on anyone else's back."

"Yes, I thought it was a bit strange myself," All Might chuckled, "It was a last minute decision, apparently. Just before the whistle blew, a young woman attached it. She said that all the Pros were getting two to even the playing field."

"I didn't get one." Shota said, eyes narrowing in suspicion. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as the alarm bells in his head grew more and more incessant.

"Hey, maybe we should wait to deactivate it once we get out?" He suggested, trying to suppress the worry in his voice.

"It's okay! Almost got it… there!" As soon as the button came away, it began to blink green.

"Huh, maybe I did it wrong?" The fire-breather stared at the device in his hand, the flash periodically lighting up his face.

He was still peering at the button in curiosity when the blinking drew to a frantic crescendo and exploded into a ball of jade light. It lingered for roughly a second before collapsing into itself. The force blasted both Shota and All Might in opposite directions down the corridor. Shota leapt to his feet, battle ready. Through his spotty vision, he could see that All Might had done the same. But there was no one to fight. In fact, the soldier had disappeared altogether. Shota shivered against the sudden chill that overtook the hallway while he assessed the mounting sense of foreboding rising in his chest.

"Hey, Midoriya?" All Might rumbled, electric eyes alight with fear. Faint scorch marks licked the walls; odd considering the noticeable drop in temperature. There remained no sign of the green-haired man.

"Midoriya!" Fear's icy tendrils caressed Shota's body and mind as the Symbol of Peace grew more and more frantic.

"Did you see what happened?" Shota's voice wavered. His feet seemed to be frozen in place, either unable or unwilling to move.

"I-... No, I didn't." All Might chewed each word and spit it out like poison in his mouth.

"Okay," Shota took a shaky step forward. Every fiber of his being screamed at him to move - that something here was _very wrong_ , "Listen, we can't stay here. We have to go find someone and-"

" _No_." All Might grabbed Shota's hand, "We have to find him. He's still here, he has to be."

His eyes burned into Shota's, alight with fear and determination. Shota could faintly hear the sound of footsteps racing in their direction - likely those who had seen what happened over the camera footage. But in the meantime, there was no stopping All Might. Shota sighed.

"Okay," He conceded, "Let's look." The feeling of dread only grew.

Something was very wrong.


End file.
